Particulate loader and transfer devices are well known, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,537, are used by farmers and others to load and transfer grain and other particulate material in a convenient manner. These devices include a suction mechanism such as, for example, an air vacuum pump, fan or blower (hereinafter referred to as “air vacuum pump”) to create suction within an air-particulates separation chamber and a vacuum pickup hose attached thereto to transport grain or other material from a first remote location into the air-particulates separation chamber. The particulates then settle and accumulate in the bottom of the air-particulates separation chamber where a first end of a conveying mechanism such as, for example, an auger is positioned for transferring the grain or other particulates from the air-particulates separation chamber to a second remote location such as, for example a truck or container.
State of the art particulate loaders have a restricting device such as, for example, a screen or drum of a generally perforated nature disposed within the air-particulates separating chamber for restricting passage of the particulate material to the fan or blower. Typically, the drum is affixed to a fore-and-aft extending shaft about whose axis the drum is rotated during operation. Air drawn through the air-particulates separating chamber passes through the drum's perforations, the drum's perforations thereby restricting passage of the particulates therethrough, leaving the particulates in the air-particulates separating chamber while the air which has passed through the perforations in the drum is exhausted through the suction mechanism of the particulate loader to the outside, typically in close proximity to the particulate loader. Alternative separating devices employed are, for example, large screen hole separation and inserted cone shape devices.
The perforations are designed such they are small enough that passage of the particulate material therethrough is substantially prevented but are also large enough to provide sufficient suction and to prevent blockage thereof, in order to enable efficient and reliable operation of the particulate loader. Consequently, the size of the perforations enables small particles such as, for example, dust and smaller pieces of the particulates—for example, pieces of grain chaff—(hereinafter referred to as “dust”) to pass through to the suction mechanism of the particulate loader and, ultimately, to the outside, creating a substantial safety and health risk for a person in proximity of the particulate loader as well as substantial pollution of the environment.
It may be desirable to provide an exhaust dust collector for a particulate loader that substantially separates and collects the dust from the exhaust air stream prior to the release of the exhaust air stream into the environment.
It also may be desirable to provide an exhaust dust collector for a particulate loader that substantially separates and collects the dust from the exhaust air stream in a continuous fashion during operation of the particulate loader.
It also may be desirable to provide an exhaust dust collector for a particulate loader that is simple, and is implementable absent substantial changes to an existing particulate loader design.
It also may be desirable to provide an exhaust dust collector for a high capacity particulate loader that is sufficiently compact for enabling provision of the high capacity particulate loader with the exhaust dust collector mounted on a mobile device with the mobile device having dimensions within the limits for using public roads.